Weekend Brief Sept. 2024: Wolfburn X Dramfool
To wrap up my 2024 New Wave Distillery Week, I have a duo from Wolfburn— which from 2013 to 2022 was the northernmost mainland Scottish distillery. It has since been pipped by newcomer 8 Doors.
I wonder if we have passed the crest of the New Wave as global whisky sales have slowed over the last two years. That may not be an immediate concern for Wolfburn however as they have spent the last decade establishing their brand.
While I have not always heard glowing reviews of their whisky, they have a dedicated group of fans that seek out their releases. Clearly Bruce and Colin at Dramfool also found something they like at the distillery, otherwise we wouldn’t have these two casks to taste!
Whisky Details: Wolfburn 7 Year (2016) Cask 782 for Dramfool
Nose: Big and cask-driven with jammy fruits and berries, anise with spearmint that occasionally moved toward menthol, spirited and peppery right away, subtle medicinal herbs in the background— a tincture for balancing the humors and cooling the blood.
Palate: Medium-bodied with big jammy fruits, Fruit Gushers in strawberries or cherry, strawberry Fanta or Diamond Head sodas, subtle chocolate and herbal notes in the background.
Finish: Medium-length with dried fruits and chocolate.
Score: 6 (78)
Mental Image: University Ultimate Frisbee League
Narrative & Notes: Sure to please fans of big cask driven whiskies— not a style I usually indulge in or rate highly. The flavors were good and well balanced, beyond some prickle on the nose the spirit was well-integrated. There wasn’t much more to it than the big cask notes, but those were at least well done. As a friend described it, “Not an academic pursuit, just deliciously simple.”
It was not the sort of whisky that required a whole lot of thought, not the sort of thing you might want to sit with and give you attention to— but rather a session whisky or something nice to fade into the background of an evening.
Whisky Details: Wolfburn 7 Year (2017) Cask 41 for Dramfool
Nose: Sweet grill smoke, tobacco, earth, smoldering matted grass, subtle grilled fruits; banana and hot metal.
Palate: Medium-bodied, grilled fruit, fried plantains in honey, metallic like a hot cast iron pan or wok, charcoal, burned butterscotch, more green banana with time.
Finish: Medium to long with dried fruits, honey, and earthy mud masks.
Score: 6-7 (80)
Mental Image: Plantain Dealer at the Market
Narrative & Notes: Big cask and young peat— rarely a disappointing combination. Not the sort of place I go for depth of flavor, though there were some intriguing elements and an earthiness that I imagine might transform in delightful ways as Wolfburn’s inventory of casks continues to mature. This reminded me a lot of an Ardmore or Kilchoman, with smoldering grass, hot metal, and earthy elements. I am not typically a fan of banana notes, but they worked well here, especially the fried starchy plantains in honey.
Overall, I hesitate to declare this the better of the other cask bottled for Dramfool. They were both delightful and a great introduction to the Highland distillery, but given my love of peat and earthy flavors, this one suited me better.
